When caring for a child with sarcoma, it’s important to know where to turn for support.
There are many organisations that can help you with emotional, financial, and practical support, as well as providing special experiences for your child.
Here are some useful organisations, organised by category:
Cancer organisations
Childhood Cancer Parents Alliance (CCPA)
Provides support, encouragement and advice to families whose children have a cancer diagnosis: both during and after treatment.
Provides family support, counselling, advice and organises stress-free holidays and staycations to support children with cancer and their families.
Offers emotional, physical, financial and practical support for people going through cancer.
Maggie’s centres are a network of drop-in centres across the United Kingdom and abroad that aim to help anyone who has been affected by cancer.
Improves the lives of teenagers and young people with cancer with specialist units across the UK.
If you’re aged 13-24 and have experienced childhood cancer, Teens Unite offer free, unlimited support, whenever you need it. Their in-person and digital activities, and residential stays, are new experiences for you to enjoy with other teenagers and young adults in a similar situation.
Young Lives vs. Cancer (Formerly CLIC Sargent)
Offers day to day support for families affected by childhood cancer as well as financial grants, accommodation and bereavement support.
Financial support
Provides grants to low income families caring for a disabled or seriously ill child.
Aims to help and support campaigns to raise funds for medical treatment/equipment not available on the NHS.
Practical support
The Beads of Courage UK programme offers support and strength to families when they need it most.
Arranges travel insurance for people with a serious illness or pre-existing medical conditions.
Provide real hair wigs to children and young people, up to 24 years, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.
Provide free surgical gowns or pyjamas for babies and children in hospital, up to age 16.
Provides free pre-paid SIM cards and mobile phones (when available) to those living with cancer.
Provides specialised equipment, support and life skills for disabled children.
Emotional support and advice
Offers support when a child is bereaved, or when a child has a terminal illness. See their online shop for books and information for professionals and families.
A helpline for anyone affected by the death of a child of any age, from pre-birth to adult, under any circumstances, however recent or long ago.
A confidential service that can help you find a qualified counsellor or psychotherapist in your local area.
A network of trained parent volunteers who support struggling parents.
Offers practical, financial and emotional support to families affected by childhood cancer including respite breaks, financial grants and support groups.
Offers support and counselling for children’s mental health in schools.
Provides emotional and practical support to families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness through support workers.
Support for families who have a child with a life-limiting illness including a helpline, as well as legal advice service.
Provider of services to bereaved children, young people and their families.
Holidays and experiences for children with cancer
Organises life enhancing biennial trips to Florida for around 72 children from across the North of England.
Rebuilds confidence after cancer, using sailing to support, empower and inspire young people between the ages of 8-24 in embracing their future with optimism.
Charity in Surrey that provides day trips, short breaks and holidays for families of children with cancer. Also receives special requests, often for gifts or wishes, to make hospital stays a little more bearable.
Provides short breaks in a caravan on the Kent coast, for families who are affected by childhood cancer. Set up in memory of Eva.
Holiday homes in the New Forest and Hayling Island for families of children who have cancer and life limiting illnesses.
Provides respite breaks for individuals, families and groups who support children with additional needs, including life limiting illnesses.
Runs activity camps for children and young people aged 8-17 who are affected by serious and life-limiting illnesses.
Huddersfield based charity that provides holidays for children and their families who have been affected by cancer, life limiting illness and bereavement.
Starlight Children’s Foundation
Offers play and distraction services in hospitals, grants wishes and organises events for children with serious illnesses including private film screens, flying days and boat parties.
Organises special days out for seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40.
Wish granters
Makes dreams come true for seriously and terminally ill children across the UK.
Grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses.
Grants wishes for seriously ill children in the UK aged three to 18 years. Can grant hospital ward wishes and organise outings and large scale events.
Grants ‘handcrafted’ wishes for children and young people with life threatening illnesses across the UK and Ireland.
Gifts
Help children with cancer regain their physical fitness, strength, mental wellness and confidence by giving them bikes, tandems and specially adapted trikes to children and young people who have been affected by cancer.
Every year, Fatboys Charity delivers Christmas gifts to children who are suffering from cancer or other life-threatening illnesses.
